Looking Back at the Lockheed Martin JetStar
A little over 68 years ago, Lockheed Martin completed the first successful flight of their now famous JetStar prototype in Burbank, California.
The JetStar program began as a response to a request from the United States Air Force for a small utility jet. The demand from the government faded, but Lockheed Martin continued the program, convinced there would be a market for the small passenger jet in the commercial sector.
Lockheed’s gamble paid off four years later when they began delivery of what would be over 200 JetStars, making the JetStar the first modern mass-produced private business jet. Sixteen would become military aircraft with the rest being sold to the civilian market.
Pacmin Studios (Pacific Miniatures at the time) was closely associated with the JetStar program, manufacturing desktop models that were given to customers alongside delivery of the aircraft.
It’s not hard to see the huge impact the JetStar had on ushering in today’s massive private jet market and the JetStar’s pioneering design can still be seen in today’s most popular business jets. Despite the JetStar’s success, Lockheed never produced a business jet again.
As for the models, they are incredibly rare and the amount of surviving pieces is unknown. If you have ever come across one of these original Pacific Miniatures JetStar models, we’d love to hear from you!
By Max Ouweleen
Marketing Coordinator at Pacmin Studios and The Model Shop
About Pacmin Studios
Pacmin Studios has been serving the aviation and transportation industries with creative physical and digital models and exhibits since 1946.
Known for producing high quality custom aircraft display models, Pacmin Studios has evolved to provide a suite of additional services, including graphic design, CAD, CGI rendering and animation, livery design, and other transportation marketing solutions.
